Email and SMS: The Power Couple of Marketing Automation

Email marketing remains one of the most effective tools in marketing your products and services. As technology has gone increasingly mobile, we design our emails with a mobile-first mentality. But how do we take further advantage of this mobile lifestyle? Simple. By joining forces with SMS marketing.

Joining hands

Oh, You must be thinking, “Text messaging is so old…”

It might be an old technology, but it’s still very reliable in terms of deliverability and readability. Combining SMS within your automated email campaign workflow can increase the chances of your message being read by users. This is why ActiveTrail provides SMS sending system that can help you reach subscribers directly.

Numbers Don’t Lie

Email marketing campaigns are 325% more effective when combined with SMS marketing. 90% of text messages are opened and read within three minutes.  34% of subscribers who received the SMS will visit the company website, and 33% will actually visit the physical store. You don’t even have to do a cost-benefit analysis with these numbers.

Simple and Immediate

Emails can sit in a user’s inbox for hours or days without being read. That’s the reality of it. With SMS marketing, your subscribers or customers can get your message in just a few minutes. If you have a flash sale or a limited time offer, then you can announce it right away with just a few clicks. It’s as simple as that.

Text Messaging is Always On

Think of it this way – most people own a smartphone with internet connectivity, but these devices have limitations. First, is that not everyone has a powerful data plan, so they can turn off their mobile internet from time to time. Second, is that data connectivity can drain the batteries of mobile devices. Again, there is that chance that they can turn off their internet at crucial times. But for as long as the phone is turned on, text messages can and will be received by your subscriber.

Everyone Reads Their Texts

Text messaging is one of the main channels of communication, not just among teenagers and millennials, but among most age brackets. People use text messaging to communicate with their family, friends, and colleagues. Even non-tech-savvy individuals can read their text messages. Let me reiterate that 90% of your SMS campaigns are read within three minutes of receipt. Not bad for an old technology!

Text Messages are Short and Sweet

In the past, mobile devices can only display up to 160 characters of text. Nowadays, you can craft longer text messages and it can be viewed as one message. Staying in the 160-character limit can be tough, but it’s important that people can read your message in just a few seconds or with a quick scan.

So…

If you think your emails are not being read by your subscribers, consider sending them a text to remind them that you exist! Combining SMS with your automated email campaign can help you revive inactive leads, and encourage these users to open their emails and look at what you have to offer.

You can also set it up so that when customers purchase on your site, they get an automated email or SMS with a coupon for their next purchase. This encourages customers to come back to your site after a successful transaction. You can definitely increase your ROI with SMS marketing and further engage your subscribers.

Combined Automation

Remember that users are now mobile, and you can use multiple channels to reach your target audience. Put more power in your marketing toolbox by integrating your email marketing campaign with SMS and social media channels.

Read more on ActiveTrail’s advanced automation system:

ActiveTrail Automation in Practice- Onboarding

ActiveTrail Automation in Practice- Personalization